France backs warnings against Microsoft's IE

The French government’s computer security agency Certa has followed German warnings that recommend people use an alternative browser to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer to protect their security, as the browser is susceptible to attack by cyber hackers.

The danger centres around hackers' ability to target vulnerable browsers to gain control of a users' PCs via a Trojan horse. The problem is being exacerbated by the fact that Microsoft has yet to publish a patch to fix the bug.

The warnings follow information on Microsoft’s own website that it is "investigating reports of limited targeted attacks against customers of Internet Explorer 6 using vulnerability in Internet Explorer". Microsoft said only old versions of Explorer 6 and 7 have been targeted.